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Motool Slacker: Fast Suspension Sag Adjustments Without a Helper

 Adjust sag without a helper for those ever-changing adventure bike loads.

Published on 07.27.2018

Outside of motorcycling, ‘sag’ is something most people want to avoid as is evident by the many beauty products on the market. But bike sag (more accurately its proper adjustment) is vital to having a balanced, properly suspended, properly handling machine. And, more so than probably any other type of motorcycles, adventure bike riders need to keep on top of their bike’s sag with all the load changes ADV machines encounter.

Every time you change how much weight you are putting on your bike, whether that’s adding a passenger, different luggage, more gear, more gas/water, or even more protective hard parts, the sag should be adjusted to keep the bike balanced and riding properly. The Motool Slacker wants to make that job faster, easier and more accurate, and this is how it does it.

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What It Is

The Motool Slacker is a digital sag scale that uses a retractable nylon cord to automatically record how much sag a bike has in millimeters. The main unit has a LCD display, a measuring cord with hook, and a very powerful magnet that attaches to your bike’s axle. Once it is on the axle, you can use either the “universal clamp” or “sticky mounts” as mounting points on the bike.

Since this tool was originally designed for dirt bikes, the universal clamp is mainly designed to attach to a dirt bike’s side number plate. If you have a dirt bike or dual sport with thin plastic side panels above the axle, you can use this clamp. If not, as with most ADV bikes, you can use the small, transparent sticky mounts (included in the Street Kit or ADV Bundle) to put the attachment point on any part of the bodywork that is directly above the axle.

Both the Street Kit and ADV Bundle include inconspicuous sticky mounts you can use for a permanent sag measurement attachment point.

Once everything is hooked up, there is a remote display that velcros to the bar with a wire that connects it to the main unit. First you unload the suspension by putting it on a center stand or leaning the bike over on its kickstand so the wheel is off the ground. Then you hit the power button to zero out the measurement. There is also an auto zeroing mode. You hold down the backlight button for three seconds, then lift the wheel off the ground and it will automatically remember where zero is.Then you hop on the bike exactly how you will ride (full riding gear, full luggage, full tank, passenger, etc.) and read the measurement. Adjust the preload to set sag as needed.

The remote display velcros to the handlebar, allowing you to conveniently read the sag measurement while you sit on the bike.

Once you have your sag measurement, get off the bike and adjust preload as needed.

How it Worked

I’ve used the Slacker quite a bit on my dirt bikes and there are some definite advantages to using it. For one, you can do it yourself, which is awesome and my favorite part of the tool because with traditional methods it takes two people. Even when you do have a buddy help you, you might not be able to trust that they are reading the measuring tape properly or doing the math right. With this tool, it gives you a clear digital read out of a number. That’s it. No squinting at a scale trying to see which tick mark it is actually close to.

Since other methods of checking sag require other people, without this tool I only did it when getting a new bike set up for me. But since this makes it possible to do it alone, I checked my sag more often and realized how much different pack loads changed my sag. Going from full protective riding gear with a full backpack with water and tools, to just riding gear and no backpack or tools changed the sag quite a bit.

I’ve only used this on the shock sag, but there is a fork adapter for you to dial in your front sag as well. This is a less used measurement since you have to have a bike that has fork preload adjustment, but if you do, it would be good to check that as well when adding weight to your bike.

The magnet is ridiculously strong, which is good and bad. The good part is that it sticks to any axle with a fierce hold and does not move. The bad part, and the only complaint I have with the Slacker is that I think the magnet is so strong it messes with the batteries. On multiple occasions, I would put batteries in, use the tool, then use it a month later and the batteries were all corroded. The same thing would happen to the next set as well. I just stopped leaving the batteries in the tool. Another reason I think it’s the magnet is that when removing the batteries, the magnet is so strong it pulls the screwdriver, screws, and batteries to itself.

Who It Is For

If you wear the same gear, never put new parts on your bike, never use luggage, and never ride with a passenger, the Slacker Digital Sag Scale might be overkill for you. You could probably get away with having a friend help you set your sag once and then again every 10,000 miles or so to account for spring wear. But, if you ever change things up, which is pretty much all of us, having the Slacker to quickly check the sag solo is super convenient. And even if you don’t change your bike up, you can still adjust your sag for different riding conditions (less sag for more front end traction and faster turning, more sag for faster terrain and more stability).

Our Verdict

A sag scale or measuring tape can achieve the same end result as the Slacker, but requires an extra person, isn’t nearly as accurate, and requires a lot more math. And I would say for the average commuter that wears the same backpack with the same stuff in it with the same gear on, this wouldn’t be that useful. But for adventure bike riders, it is a must. Or, at least checking your sag often is a must, and this tool just makes it much faster, easier, more accurate, and able to be done by one person.

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With his sights set on doing what he loved for a living, Sean left college with a BA in Journalism and dirt bike in his truck. After five years at a dirt-only motorcycle magazine shooting, testing, writing, editing, and a little off-road racing, he has switched gears to bigger bikes and longer adventures. He’ll probably get lost a few times but he’ll always have fun doing it. Two wheels and adventure is all he needs.